1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wrenches having a ratcheting function and more particularly, to a ratchet wrench which is characterized by a relatively thin housing and a cooperating ratchet drum rotatably mounted in the housing and provided with a recessed tang drive. The recessed tang drive serves to recess the end of a conventional socket which is inserted on the tang drive and permits the socket and housing to fit into a smaller work space than is possible with conventional ratchet wrenches.
Ratchet wrenches have long been used for many purposes where bolts and nuts must be installed and removed in machines and equipment of various description. These wrenches feature a tang drive which is secured to a rotating drum and is driven by means of a ratchet mechanism which facilitates limited movement of the wrench handle. Such wrenches use conventional sockets of various size which are fitted with a drive receptacle compatible with the tang drive on the rachet drum for ease of replacement. These wrenches are particularly useful in small work spaces where the wrench handle is afforded only limited movement when engaging a nut or bolt, and the bolt or nut cannot therefore be easily unthreaded. The ratcheting function in the wrench serves to facilitate rapid removal of nuts and bolts under circumstances where the work spaces surrounding the nuts and bolts are sufficiently large to accommodate both the wrench housing and the socket mounted on the tang drive.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wrenches having ratchet mechanisms which facilitate selective movement of a tang drive in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction by manipulation of the wrench handle have long been known and used in the art. Typical of these wrenches is the socket ratchet wrench having a handle with a housing provided at one end, which housing receives a rotating drum carrying a tang drive and provided with external splines for engagement by a ratchet pawl, the position of the pawl determining the direction of drive rotation of the tang drive. The ratchet pawl is typically operated by manipulating a pin or cap to selectively engage and disengage the pawl to and from the drum splines, respectively, and facilitate rotation of the tang drive in either the clockwise or the counter-clockwise direction, as desired. An early ratchet wrench is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 12,198, dated Jan. 9, 1855, to Charles G. Everitt, and includes a handle, a housing and a ratchet rotatably fitted in the housing and a pawl for selectively engaging the ratchet. U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,092, dated July 16, 1946, to F. A. Reynolds, discloses a "Ratchet Mechanism" which includes a rotatable nut provided in cooperation with the tang drive to facilitate rotation of the tang drive in either direction while the handle of the wrench remains stationary.
The tang drive in ratchet wrenches is usually formed integrally with and projects outwardly of the rotating drum and sockets of various size which are provided with a drive aperture shaped to receive the tang drive are fitted to the tang drive and seat against the drum. Accordingly, a work space which will accommodate the ratchet wrench must be at least as wide as the socket which is secured to the wrench plus the width of the wrench housing. In many cases, the cramped quarters of an automobile engine or other machine will not permit use of conventional ratchet wrenches because of this combined thickness. This problem has been partially solved by using sockets having universal joints which facilitate engagement of the socket with a bolt head or a nut under circumstances where the socket cannot be perfectly aligned with the bolt head or nut. However, use of such specialized sockets still requires access to the bolt head or nut in a work space which will accommodate the wrench housing and the attached socket.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a wrench of the ratcheting design which includes a recessed tang drive facilitating use of conventional sockets in a work space which is too small to accommodate a conventional ratchet wrench.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ratchet wrench which is characterized by an exceptionally low profile and greater driving power, in that the effective work thickness of the wrench housing and tang drive combination is less than that of a conventional ratchet wrench of comparable size and weight.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved, low profile ratchet wrench which is characterized by a relatively thin housing and a ratchet drum rotatably mounted in the housing and further including a tang drive which is recessed in the ratchet drum to reduce the width of the housing and tang drive combination and facilitate use of the wrench in a small work space.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ratchet which is easy to dismantle and reassemble and which includes a handle with a housing shaped in one end, a ratchet drum situated in the housing and fitted with external teeth or splines and provided with an internal recess containing a tang drive and further including a ratchet mechanism located rearwardly of the housing and designed to selectively engage the drum teeth or splines and rotate the tang drive in either the clockwise or the counter-clockwise direction, depending upon the direction of rotation of the handle.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a low profile socket ratchet wrench which is characterized by a housing, a handle extending from the housing, a ratchet drum having external teeth or splines and a ratchet mechanism for engaging the teeth, and a tang drive which is recessed in the drum, with an annular space provided between the tang drive and the drum wall to accommodate a conventional socket, the tang drive and socket selectively driven in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, depending upon the direction of rotation of the handle and the position of the pawl in the ratchet mechanism.